BioTechniques: The International Journal of Life Science Methods announces the speakers and sessions for the 2013 BioTechniques Virtual Symposium—Exploring the Modern Lab. This all-day web event will be held on Wednesday, October 2, 2013, and features free registration.

"Our speakers will describe the latest methods in areas including genomics, proteomics, and cell biology, explaining how these advances have made possible new biological insights," said Nathan Blow, BioTechniques’ Editor-in-Chief. "I'm confident that everyone attending this year's event will walk away with new ideas or new experimental approaches that will speed discovery."

Feng Zhang, Ph.D., (Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Core Member of the Broad Institute of Harvard University and MIT) Dr. Zhang’s talk will focus on the development of nuclease-based genome engineering tools with an emphasis on the recently reported CRISPR-Cas system.

Keith Weninger, Ph.D., (Associate Professor of Biophysics, North Carolina State University) Dr. Weninger will describe recent work from his lab using FRET-based approaches to examine protein conformational changes in living cells.

Fang Tian, Ph.D., (Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State University) Dr. Tian will discuss the recent efforts of his lab to elucidate the structure, function, and dynamics of membrane proteins using NMR spectroscopy.

Stephen Paddock, Ph.D., (Howard Hughes Research Fellow at the University of Wisconsin) Dr. Paddock will address recent advances in confocal imaging applications as well as other developments in light microscopy.

Mark Rizzo, Ph.D., (Assistant Professor, University of Maryland) Dr. Rizzo will discuss his lab’s use of a structure-based approach to design brighter and more stable fluorescent proteins as well as FRET-based sensors.

Steven Altschuler, Ph.D., (Associate Professor and Endowed Scholar in Biomedical Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center) Dr. Altschuler will describe his recent development of a new computational tool that enables the rapid profiling of microscopy images from high-content screening applications).

Also included is a:

BioTechniques 30th Anniversary Lecture on “Novel Drug Delivery Systems: From Controlled Release of Macromolecules to the Current Era of Nanotechnology and Nucleic Acid Delivery”

Robert Langer, Sc.D., (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Special Sponsor Workshop on Plastic Labware Leaching

In addition to a wide-ranging agenda celebrating the creativity and imagination behind some of today’s most innovative methods, techniques, protocols, and instrument advances, the symposium will also feature an exhibit hall, poster hall, networking opportunities, and live Q&A sessions with presenters and sponsors.

The 2013 BioTechniques Virtual Symposium is sponsored in part by Chroma, Eppendorf, Essen BioScience, Mirus, OriGene, PerkinElmer, Roche, and Shimadzu.

To register for the 2013 BioTechniques Virtual Symposium and help BioTechniques celebrate the scientists and methods developers who continue to change the way researchers work in the lab, please visit: http://www.BioTechniques.com/Symposium

About BioTechniques

BioTechniques, the international journal of life science methods, provides open access to first-quality, peer-reviewed papers on laboratory techniques and protocols. Now in its 55th volume, BioTechniques has over 80,000 print subscribers worldwide. The journal augments its peer-reviewed content with feature articles and topic-specific supplements. Visit http://www.biotechniques.com for more details or to subscribe.